CEI Urges No Vote on Waxman-Markey Energy-Rationing Bill

CEI Urges No Vote on Waxman-Markey
Energy-Rationing Bill
Democratic Leaders Rush to Buy Off Special Interests

Washington, D.C., June 26, 2009—The Competitive Enterprise Institute urges Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote later today against the Waxman-Markey energy rationing bill, H. R. 2454.   The 1500-page plan would amount to the biggest tax increase in history and impose a huge range of government controls over energy use.  

The stakes are high, explains CEI’s Director Energy and Global Warming policy, Myron Ebell.  “The Waxman-Markey bill would be the biggest tax increase in world history,” said Ebell.  “Enacting Waxman-Markey would almost certainly make America a second-rate economic power.  Those Members of the House who vote for it are voting for long-term economic decline.

“The process for railroading this 1500-page monstrosity through the House has been outrageous,” Ebell added.  “Members will be voting first and finding out what they have voted on later.”  The new, 1200-page version of the bill was released late Monday night.  But then late last night, Chairman Henry Waxman released an additional 309 pages, for a total of 1500.  Now, Democratic leaders are allowing a total of three hours of debate before a vote and allowing only one amendment to be offered.  

Ebell pointed to some of the falsehoods associated with the bill.  

“Supporters of Waxman-Markey are now claiming it will create jobs, which is ludicrous,” said Ebell.  “If that were true, why did Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee defeat Republican amendments to suspend Waxman-Markey if gasoline reached five dollars a gallon or electric rates doubled or unemployment topped fifteen percent?  The Democratic leadership will not allow those amendments to be offered on the floor.”

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders n the House are rushing to buy off hold-outs with “free” carbon credits.  “Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) has given away 85% of the ration coupons to various powerful special interests in order to gain support for the bill,” said Ebell.  “Some people are going to become very wealthy from cap-and-trade, but it isn’t going to be consumers.

 
We urge that voters contact their Representative immediately by calling the House switchboard at (202) 225-3121. Tell your Representative to vote No on H. R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Voters may also send their Member an e-mail by going to www.cei.org/1984 and clicking on the link to the action page.